Use Leftovers

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"Use Leftovers"

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

In today’s first reading the Prophet Elisha is given twenty loaves of barley bread. Instead of keeping it for himself, he tells his benefactor to “Give it to the people to eat”. Afraid there wouldn’t be enough for everyone, the man reluctantly did as he was told. Surprisingly, we discover as the story ends, “there was some left over”.

Jesus finds himself in a similar situation surrounded by a hungry crowd with few resources… five barley loaves and a couple of fish. Surprisingly, he too had ample food to feed everyone and needed twelve wicker baskets for the “leftovers”.  There is a common theme in both readings… Can you guess it?

In the economy of the kingdom Jesus reveals to his followers there is always a sufficiency, there is always enough to go around and fill everyone’s needs. Bread…the basic food staple for most of human history was essential for daily life. Without it, people suffered and died. Elisha and Jesus were extraordinary in their ability to supply bread to satisfy people’s hunger…and still have leftovers.

Chapter 6 of the Gospel of St. John is the story of the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes. In many ways this event sets the stage for Jesus making the connection between the bread as a staple for physical life and his body that will be offered up on the Cross in order to nourish our spiritual life. The Eucharistic Banquet feeds the deepest hunger we experience in life… our hunger to be intimately connected with God and to be satisfied completely with the graces that flow from that intimacy.

Our readings tell us something very important from the bread, the nourishment we derive from our deeply rooted and personal experience of God in the Eucharist… there is always an overabundance of God’s supply not only to nourish us, but to also nourish others.  

Now in our day and age, when we have more than enough for our needs, when we are done with supper and there is more food on the stove, we break out the Tupperware and pack the leftovers into the frig for when we are hungry tomorrow. That’s not how God works. That’s not how divine supply works. Remember the story of the Israelites wandering in the desert and, when the people complained that they were hungry, God provided them with bread to eat?  The bread was called Manna and the people were instructed to gather only what they needed for that day. No more, no less! Of course, some people didn’t listen, perhaps not trusting that God would deliver and provided for them on the next day. Here is what happened when that happened… “But they did not listen to Moses, and some kept a part of it over until morning, and it became wormy and stank”

Every time we receive the Eucharist, God provides us with the nourishment we need to carry out his plan, which as Jesus taught his disciples, is to go out into the world and feed others. And, the way we do this is by the way we act, by the way we love and forgive one another, by the way we envision this world and the way we provide solutions to the many problems we face.  There are no leftovers in God’s plan. Everything, everyone has a purpose and a role to play in advancing God’s Kingdom of love, mercy, and forgiveness.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom 

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Come Away and Rest

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Deacon Tom writes ©

“Come Away… and Rest”

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Who doesn’t like to get away once in a while and trade in the ordinary and routine for the new and exciting? I find myself looking forward to “vacation time” even though I am retired! And then, when I finally do get away, I jam pack the day with things to do, places to go, people to see. In a couple of days I feel exhausted and wonder why I didn’t leave some down time to just sit back and relax, to rest in the moment, and reflect on what I am experiencing, to find God in the events and the people around me.     

I don’t think this is my own unique experience, and judging from today’s gospel reading, I get the sense that this is an ancient problem.  Jesus recognized that he and his Apostles needed to get away from it all and just “rest for a while”. Jesus recognized his own need to break away from the hectic and demanding nature of his work and take a breather. His need for solitude show’s his total and complete humanity and is a reminder for us that we need to break away on occasion and find a “deserted place” where we can “rest a while”.

Our spiritual lives require a balance between “being” and “doing”. We engage in ministry, in helping “transform the world” as we are called to do as followers of Christ. But, what transformation can we ever hope to bring about if we don’t stop from time to time and tap into the power source who fuels us?  Seeking out quiet and solitude are essential requisites for spiritual growth. It is only logical that we can’t give what we haven’t got. If we don’t stop and quiet our own restlessness, how can we ever bring peace to those we love?  If we don’t develop an inner stillness, how can we ever bring a spirit of tranquility to our workplaces, or show some gentleness to calm those filled with tensions and aggravations that we encounter all day long?  If there is to be any peace in our homes, in our schools and communities, in our world, it has to begin with us.

As we take in the beauty and warmth of these sun-filled summer days, perhaps we can arrange to break away for just a few precious moments to our own little “deserted” place, “and rest”, so that we might experience the wonders God has in store for us.  Then, we too may be able to join our voices with those of the psalmist and say, “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want”.  

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom 

Obstinate of Heart

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“Obstinate of Heart” 

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

In our first reading, Ezekiel has a profound experience that he describes, “As the Lord spoke to me, the spirit entered into me and set me on my feet”. Thus, the Lord has chosen Ezekiel to be his servant to deliver a message to the Israelites that they have become a “rebellious house”. They are a people who are “hard of face and obstinate of heart” because they have turned away from God and “rebelled against him”. This is a theme we hear time and time again in the Old Testament. It is like the ebb and flow of the tides, this turning to and then away from God. The one thing that is constant throughout the ages though, is that God never does the turning away. He always remains faithful to his people, always calling them to return to him. And so God sends Ezekiel to deliver the message that a “prophet has been among them” urging them to change their ways and turn their hearts to the Lord.

In today’s gospel, we see another prophet at work among God’s people. The prophet is Jesus, chosen by God, indeed, God in human form!  But, worker of miracles though he is, he is rejected by the people because they can’t get beyond their judging, skeptical hearts and minds that are closed to the truth; they are “obstinate of heart”!  So we read that Jesus, “was not able to perform any mighty deeds there” and “He was “amazed at their lack of faith”.

These scripture passages point out our tendency to resist the Holy. Indeed, God actually names the condition that plagues us. He refers to it as having an “obstinate heart”. An obstinate heart resists God’s invitation into the mystery of the divine presence. An obstinate heart is closed to the transformation that the divine presence is able to bring about in us and actually desires to bring about in us. We develop this condition when we refuse to be open to an alternative way of thinking or seeing the reality around us. This is very much a part of our human condition, inherited, perhaps, through “original sin”. We all have a large degree of obstinacy in us.

One remedy for overcoming an “obstinate heart” that impairs our spiritual growth is prayer, that time we spend opening our hearts and minds to Our Lord. This is the traditional way of letting God into our lives so we may be filed with his presence. Of course, the very desire for prayer comes from God who never abandons nor turns his back on us. Prayer will always turn the hardest and most obstinate of hearts to ones full of love and compassion.

Happy 4^th of July…Enjoy this special day and give thanks to God for the freedoms we enjoy!

Deacon Tom 

Built To Last

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“Built To Last” 

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

The author of the Book of Wisdom writes, “God formed man (and woman) to be imperishable…in the image of His own nature”.  In Jesus we get to see the image of God dwelling among His people. Jesus is tireless in preaching the kingdom of God. Mark relates numerous stories of Jesus working miracles as he encounters people who needed to be healed, reconciled, and fed. Today’s readings contain several such miracles.  After curing the man who was possessed, Jesus crosses the lake and encounters Jairus who implores him to come to his house where his daughter lies near death. But, as Jesus begins his journey, he senses “power had gone out from him”, power that had been usurped by the hemorrhaging woman who found herself healed.

Jesus brings about much healing in Mark’s Gospel. It seems as if Jesus is rushing off from one miracle to another the way Mark recounts it! It is interesting to note that the word that Mark uses for the “healing” is the Greek word “sōzō”, a word that not only means “to heal” but also “to save”. In other words, Jesus not only heals people from their sickness but also he saves and restores them to the original state they were created, as “imperishable” beings… made in the image and likeness of God and destined to share eternity with Him.

A challenge we face in our busy lives is that there are so many activities and so much technology available to entertain us that we have little time for spiritual reflection or very little time to probe the deeper meanings of our human experiences for that matter. And so we go from one activity to another, from work to recreation.  We get a little sleep, cut the grass, do the shopping, and bring the kids to this activity or that sport. We are so fatigued at the end of the day, we go to sleep only to rise the next morning and begin all over again. We seldom give any conscious thought to key spiritual aspects of our lives such as our mortality or what lies ahead when we die. For most people, this is “living the dream”.  We are rarely looking to seeing or experiencing God in any of our daily routines. 

Yet, I believe, we all long to experience the presence of God that touches and heals us and brings us his salvation. But in order to find that calming peace and healing presence, we must first look to find God’s presence in the ordinary…in the mundane… in the routine and boring events that are the bulk of our day-to-day lives. We must, as St. Ignatius discovered, “find God in all things” if we are to experience the divine and to recognize its imprint within us.  If we think about it, that is, if we take the time to think about it, we have already entered into eternity.  Life for those who believe will be changed, not ended, as proclaimed in our Christian funeral liturgy. For, as the Book of Wisdom reminds us today, we were made in the image of God’s own nature. So then, we can believe and trust that we have been made to go the distance. We were, as it were, “built to last”! So, once we have lived and spread the good news in this life, we can look forward to celebrating it forever in the life to come!

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom 

Stormy Weather

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Stormy Weather 

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

The gospel paints quite a picture for us today. A nice day on the water suddenly turns into a heart-clutching event. The disciples are “terrified” and fearful that they are about to die.  They wonder how Jesus can sleep through this violent storm.  Indeed, they ask him outright, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”  After Jesus calms the sea, it’s his turn to ask the tough questions: “Why are you terrified?  Do you not yet have faith”?

We all experience tempests in our lives.  Oftentimes they terrify us and challenge our faith.  Doubt, uncertainty, guilt, fear and regret raise havoc with our faith.  When we are in such a state we question why God doesn’t reach out and save us from our misery.  “He’s sleeping”, we may think, or “He just doesn’t care”.  We may even begin to rationalize to the extreme… “God’s not helping because he doesn’t exist”... Or at the least, “We doubt that he will come to our rescue”.  If we let these thoughts gain control over us they can lead us to utter despair or worse, a complete crisis of faith. 

Yet, what do we hear in today’s gospel when the apostles were overcome with fear?  We are told not to fear, not to doubt, but rather, “Quiet! Be still!” Listen for that quiet voice within where God speaks to our hearts.  When we are overcome by the overwhelming circumstances we can’t avoid, there is something we can do… and that is to listen for that quiet, still voice within us…the promptings of the Holy Spirit who is “nearer to us than we are to ourselves”, in order to tap into an endless supply of Christ’s abiding love to help us persevere until the storms of uncertainty pass us by. 

You may recall the expression, “That which does not kill me makes me stronger”. This is true in matters of faith as well.  As we grow in our faith we gradually begin to understand that it is during those dark and uncertain moments that we experience God’s abiding presence, when we are most aware that God is “near to the brokenhearted”.  We recognize God’s presence more and more in our lives the more we are tossed about by the sea of life and especially when things are not going our way. Perhaps that’s because when everything around us has failed… when our friends have abandoned us, when we lose our jobs or health or loved ones, when we begin to realize that we don’t have the power to fix what’s wrong in our lives or the lives of those we love… it is then when we are out of options that we turn to God.  It is in times such as these that we are more open to receive what Christ has to offer us…his love, compassion, and mercy.

All of the tempests in our lives have the potential of bringing us closer to Christ if we let them.  If Christ truly becomes our rock and our salvation, we will overcome all the stormy weather we encounter as we navigate the waters of this life while keeping our bearings on the one to come. 

A Happy Father’s day to all the fathers, grandfathers, and soon to be fathers (that’s for my son-in-law, Brandon!!!). I jumped the gun by putting this in last week....I am loosing track of time!!

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom 

We Are Always Courageous

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“We are always courageous”

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

“We are always courageous” St. Paul writes to the Corinthians because “we walk by faith, not by sight”. It does take a lot of courage to put your heart and soul into something when you’re not sure what the outcome of your efforts will be. St. Paul set a good example for us as he preached the kingdom of God to the Corinthians. “The kingdom of God is among you” (LK 17:21), Jesus told his disciples.  It has its roots here in this life and yet much of the fruit won’t be ready for harvesting until the next life, when we “appear before the judgment seat of Christ… and receive recompense” for what we have done, “…whether good or evil”.

It takes courage to give witness to the gospel of Christ by living each day in accordance with the values Christ taught us. Being a follower of Christ is easier said than done. It’s easier to preach ten sermons than to live one, as the saying goes!

St. Paul was on to something when he spoke of the courage it takes to live a life of faith. It takes courage to have one foot planted firmly here in this world, in terra firma as they say, and the other foot planted in that spiritual realm, the kingdom of God, that Christ preached to help govern and direct our lives. People of faith face much difficulty trying to manage their responsibilities, in attempting to balance the realities of this world…the need to provide for family, to pay the mortgage, to save for college for the kids, and taking care of ageing parents all while living virtuous lives that reflect the gospel values.

It takes courage to face our own struggles and at the same time to reach out and help others who face their own set of challenges and difficulties. It takes courage to visit the soup kitchen each week and not feel helpless in the face of the endless need. It takes courage to work for peace and justice with all that we see happening in our communities and in the world. Yet, our faith constantly encourages us to be courageous and not lose heart in the face of the obstacles we encounter.

It is so important as Christians to be constantly aware of God’s love and to remember that God’s grace is always at work in us, giving us the courage to persevere in our faith.  Aware of God’s love and presence in our lives, we are then better able to love and serve him by loving one another.

Enjoy the Day!

Deacon Tom 

Become What You Receive

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“Become What You Receive”

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Year B

(Corpus Christi)

“Behold what you are, become what you receive!”  These words of wisdom from St. Augustine are intended to help us thoughtfully receive Holy Eucharist.  They have been used to help us understand this central mystery of our faith from as far back as the middle of the fourth century. It is a daunting command. It causes us to think about the Sacrament we are receiving.  “Become Christ-like!”   Isn’t that what being a disciple of Christ is all about? 

Our Catholic Faith puts the Eucharist at the center of our faith. It is, according to our teaching, “the source and summit of our faith”.  This is made evident in the Feast we celebrate today, The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ also referred to as The Feast of Corpus Christi.

We are a sacramental people. Our spiritual well-being depends upon our participation in the sacramental life of the church and the grace that is derived from those sacraments. The image of Jesus gathering his disciples into a table fellowship is pure genius. We come to the table when we are hungry, when we need to be nourished. This is the reality of our human existence. Jesus takes the ordinary and gives it an extraordinary meaning by calling us to the table to be spiritually nourished, to have our spiritual hunger satisfied and to be united to him in a communion of hearts and desires….

Our unique Catholic understanding of the Eucharist is that it is in essence the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ. When we receive Holy Communion, we truly become one with Christ. It is a very special moment, a time for us to reflect on Christ dwelling within us, for us to be in awe that the maker of heaven and earth would come and abide in us.  Even more amazing is the fact that this is his plan, not ours!

Yes, “we are what we eat,” nutritionist tells us. The challenge we face as Catholics is to follow the instructions of St. Augustine and to “behold what we are and to become what we receive”, members of the one body of Christ who has become for us our spiritual food, the Bread of Life.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom